The building was constructed using traditional Japanese techniques and materials imported from Japan, and was originally exhibited in the courtyard of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

The Japan-America Society (JAS) agreed to sponsor the project, and declared that the Japanese House should be donated by Japan as a gift to American people in order to promote the cultural exchange.

Sponsored by both the private sector and the government, the JAS raised a total of ¥18.5 million ($51,000 at the exchange rate of ¥360/$ in 1953) from 270 corporations and individuals.

Pre-assembly of the house began in January 1953 at Ito's workshop in Nagoya, and was completed a year later, using the traditional Japanese method of building, which minimizes the use of structural nails, employing various joineries through the use of hand tools.

The reassembly team led by architect Yoshimura arrived at New York in March, 1954 and completed the construction mid-June with help of a cadre of Hawaiian Nisei carpenters.

The American public was impressed with the beauty of natural wood, simple interior design, and the house's flexible plan.

Nio-Mon Temple Gate was a c.1600 Japanese building from Hitachi Province first exhibited at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1975, Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo contacted the Consulate General of Japan in New York to inquire about the possibility restoring Shofuso for the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration.

The Japan-America Society raised ¥55 million ($180 thousand at the exchange rate of ¥308/$) to fund a complete major restoration of the house and garden in June 1976.

[11] In order to continue preservation and maintenance of Shofuso, a non-profit organization, the Friends of the Japanese House & Garden was incorporated in February 1982.

[12] The tokonoma alcove and fusuma sliding doors of Shofuso at MoMA were decorated with murals painted in black ink by Kaii Higashiyama.

The guest house at Kojo-in had all the four major components of shoin-zukuri architecture; (1) attached desk, (2) staggered shelf, (3) toko-no-ma alcove, and (4) chodai-gamae (built-in ornamental doorway).